


Sandcastles

by DarthTella



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Beaches, F/M, Sandcastles, Tumblr Prompt, doctor who - Freeform, lost sonic screwdriver, savage birds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 15:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15367842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthTella/pseuds/DarthTella
Summary: The Doctor sees the simple truth about Rose Tyler at, of all places, a sandcastle building competition





	Sandcastles

The Doctor wasn’t exaggerating when he said the beaches of Reatiwal were the most beautiful she would ever see in her life. Deep azure waters and beautiful white sand under a violet sky and three moons visible at all times? It was breathtaking.

Of course, this beach was also home to the biggest sandcastle building competition. Rose laughed. Gorgeous beach and sandcastles. She could live with that. As a bonus the Doctor had foregone his usual attire for dark blue swim trunks and white t-shirt.

Absolutely zero complaints from her on that front.

They reached their plot of sand where they saw they were already provided with a couple spades and buckets. Looking around they noticed the other competitors using tools they brought themselves, so the Doctor concluded that using his sonic for the fine details would be acceptable. 

The Doctor had in mind to build a classic medieval castle.

“Isn’t that a bit predictable?” Rose asked him.

“You gotta remember that Earth is three galaxies away from here. It’s just as exotic to these people as the Treaki citadel is to you.” The Doctor countered. Rose couldn’t argue with that logic, and they got to work. 

The Doctor built the towers, and Rose worked on the walls that connected them. He laughed when she began to dig around the perimeter of their creation and started to pour seawater in the trench creating a moat. She even managed to catch a few small fish in her bucket and placed them in there.

“Alligators!” She giggled.

“They didn’t actually do that y’know.” The Doctor deadpanned.

“Shh… this lot doesn’t know that.” Rose winked and the Doctor couldn’t help but laugh. 

The Doctor was about to add some detailed brick work to the castle walls, but when he went to find his sonic it was no where to be found. He patted his pockets, and even made Rose stand up in case she had accidentally sat on it. They looked around for a good five minutes until Rose saw the tip of it glinting in the sun, mostly buried in the pile she made while digging her moat. A bird had perched itself on the little sand pile and started pecking at the device. The Doctor advanced on the bird.

“Oi, stop that!” He chastised loudly. The bird looked up at him, its glassy black eyes reflecting no fear at this being several times its own size. It flew up into the Doctor’s face unexpectedly and let out a shrill cry. He startled and tripped over Rose’s bucket and landed ungracefully on his bum in the surf. The bird perched itself back on it’s little hill and continued to peck at the screwdriver. Rose just stood off to the side doubled over in laughter.

“This is funny, is it?” The Doctor whinged. Rose took a moment to regain her composure.

“It’s just… your fa-a-a-a-ace!” Rose got out between giggles. “The Oncoming Storm brought down by a seagull!” She squealed. The Doctor rubbed at the back of his neck as Rose calmly walked up to the bird and shooed it away gently with her hands and retrieved the sonic screwdriver. The Doctor just sat there and dissolved into laughter himself as the absurdity of the situation caught up with him, not caring he was getting absolutely soaked.

That’s why he loved Rose Tyler. Her ability to solve almost every problem by showing such amazing empathy.

The laughter died in his throat as the truth crashed into him harder than the waves soaking his body. He was in love with her. Sure, he had figured it out a long time ago now, but this was the first time he’d actually admitted it to himself in so many words.

Her hand appeared within his line of vision and he let her help him up. Rose was about to hand him the sonic but he just grabbed her into a hug instead, sweeping her off her feet and twirling her around. She squealed in surprise, but held on tight, burying her head into his neck.

One day he would tell her how he really felt about her, just on another beach an entire universe away.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sorry for that last line. >:)


End file.
